Apple introduced MagSafe for the iPhone in 2020. With it, the company revived a technology that had been abandoned (and then reintroduced) in its MacBooks. The initial premise was promising.
MagSafe wasn’t only about convenience. The integration of magnets in wireless charging seemed poised to mark a turning point. It promised to make Qi charging more reliable and efficient while also opening up numerous possibilities beyond just enhanced charging.
However, four years later, that envisioned future remains more of a promise than a reality. In fact, it may never fully materialize.
Don’t get me wrong. MagSafe functions exceptionally well, and I prefer using an iPhone with it rather than without it. Chargers align perfectly, cases fit snugly, and accessories are more stable. Yet, the expected revolution in innovative ways to use the iPhone hasn’t come to fruition.
Instead, Apple offers a rather limited range of basic accessories: chargers, holders, cases, and external batteries. These are useful but hardly revolutionary. Most of them simply replicate functionalities that already existed, now enhanced with magnets. Additionally, promising products like the MagSafe Duo were discontinued. Meanwhile, the StandBy mode introduced in iOS 17 hinted at a surge of chargers that could double as alarm clocks, but that hasn’t occurred either.
This image seemed revolutionary in the summer of 2023. However, over a year later, it hasn’t resulted in many accessories using the MagSafe form factor.
The issue at hand isn’t technical, given that the magnets are functioning perfectly well. The real problem lies in Apple’s inability to foster the kind of innovation users have come to expect from iPhone accessory creators, an industry that has developed its own identity. This stagnation persists even with the introduction of Qi2, which is akin to MagSafe.
In the early days of the iPhone, especially in the late 2000s, the accessory ecosystem experienced a creative explosion. Plenty of innovations, like bumper cases, seemed exciting at the time but quickly faded. In contrast, MagSafe has largely adhered to the conventional.
Even Apple appears disinterested in expanding its ecosystem of magnetic accessories. Since the beginning, it’s primarily offered the same options: silicone cases, clear cases, wallets, and little else.
For instance, Apple’s wallet has huge room for improvement. However, it remains unchanged aside from the questionable switch to FineWoven, a material that falls short of the quality standard expected from serious manufacturers.
It’s worth noting that the best MagSafe accessories tend to come from third parties, such as Belkin and Anker, which consistently deliver in this area. These companies have developed ingenious multiple charging systems and versatile holders that leverage magnetism. However, even with these third-party products available in Apple’s own stores, MagSafe still seems to fall short of its potential.
MagSafe isn’t a failure. It’s useful but represents an incremental improvement rather than the groundbreaking advancement many expected in 2020. Perhaps people’s expectations were too high. Apple or another company might still have an opportunity to fully realize this technology’s potential.
For now, MagSafe remains a technology still searching for its true purpose, much like a talented actor in their forties waiting for a leading role.
Image | Daniel Romero | Mateusz Haberny
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